Probiotic Rich Dill Pickles

Lacto-fermentation is a traditional method of making pickles without using vinegar. Pickles made in this manner are alive and rich in probiotics. In this age of antibiotics we all need whatever extra help we can get in making sure the balance of the flora growing in our intestines is as helpful to our absorption and production of nutrients as possible.

Fermentation with lactic acid is also a very safe way to preserve your foods. Please enjoy this recipe, if you would like more information on lactic-acid fermentation and the health benefits of such foods please visit my site www.helladelicious.com.

Enjoy!

Step 1 Wash Cucumbers

For 8-10 small cucumbers use about two jars and 1 quart (litre) of brine. Wash your cucumbers to help clean off any unwanted extra ingredients.

Comments

[HellaDelicious]

By the way, if the weather is hot, you may only need to leave the pickles out for one or two days. After you have made them a few times you will know what amount of time you prefer to leave them out for. Various people may like them more sour or less, so try them a few times and see how you like it. I also eat them before waiting 6 weeks most of the time.

[HellaDelicious]

It is best to use jars with the canning tops that have the rubber seal. After two or three days some of the gasses and juice will be released through the seal, this is fine. It is best to put an old towel or something under the jars as they are fermenting so that these juices don't get everywhere.

[PaulsMom]

Hi I'm looking for some clarification....You don't put these in a water bath after making them. All the other recipes I've read say you need to do this for safety....? I have a recipe my grandmother gave me that is a sweet dill. Her instructions did not include heat processing. Her's was more like yours , no water bath and 8 weeks to cure. Just want to make sure I'm being safe. Thanks for any help.

[HellaDelicious]

No need for a water bath. This is a real traditional method without using vinegar. Usually pickles using vinegar will need a water bath. This method just encourages the lactobacili to grow and ferment. These pickles are delicious. I often do this with asparagus too and they are fantastic as well. Yum.

[craftymaven]

I've made these too using a mandoline http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandoline  to slice the cucumbers, and the pickles are ready to eat in 3-4 days. They ferment faster in the warm summer months. The kids LOVE these! Check out Weston A Price http://www.westonaprice.org/ and Nourishing Traditions http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/Nourishing-Traditions.html for more information on old-style eating. There's also a book (and website) called Wild Fermentation http://www.wildfermentation.com/ that gives info about fermenting many other foods. Most veggies contain lactobacilli on their leaves or skins, and under the right conditions, they grow into lactic acid, great for digestion. I've never tested how long they keep, cause they're gobbled up at our place. Good instructable, thanks for spreading the word.

[HellaDelicious]

Awesome! Thanks for adding in all the links to those great informational sites. I love both those books too and I am really needing to get a mandoline too!

[Warthaug]

This is the same method used to make sauerkraut; basically you salt the water to prevent most bacteria from growing, while allowing salt-loving bacteria to flourish.  These bacteria (mostly Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus) produce lactic and acetic acid as they "eat" the natural sugars in the cucumbers.  Eventually the acid levels get to high, the bacteria go dormant, and eventually the cucumbers pickle.

Contrary to they authors description, you will not get significant amounts of probiotics from this food.  The bacteria levels are quite low, and most will be dead by the time you consume the pickles.  In fact, its nearly impossible to get detectable changes in your gut flora from "pro-biotic" foods; even bacteria-rich foods like yorgurt simply do not have enough to make a notable difference.  Most medical studies finding benefits use daily bacterial pills containing the equilent to 2-3 liters of yogurt worth of bacteria.

[HellaDelicious]

I know there is a lot of information out there that will agree with Warthaug's point here, but personally I have found that I get a lot more benefit from eating my probiotics in the form of fermented vegetables and in other fermented products (yogurt, kombucha, kefir etc) than I do from supplements (plus the really 'good' ones are insanely expensive).

People traditionally around the globe have eaten various fermented foods for thousands of years and gotten incredible benefits from them, in fact it used to be that fermented foods were treasured, cared for and handed down to the daughter on her wedding day. In this way the cultures evolved alongside the family DNA and helped to protect them from various illnesses. This is still practiced in Korea (kimchi) and in various other places.

I have also read a lot of information regarding probiotic pills that points out that it is hard to really know if the probiotics will be effective, depending on what brand you buy and the types of bacteria in the pill etc. See this article for more information about the probiotic supplement conspiracy.

The other point about eating these foods (yes this is the same method as sauerkraut!) that is highly beneficial is that our intestinal tract is so excessively long that eating food with beneficial bacteria will actually get into the various crevices and deeper into the intestinal tract than the pill form can.

Anyway there is plenty of information to support either side of this argument. The key thing is to try it yourself and see what works best for you!

[Warthaug]

I forgot to add to my last comment,

The flower end of cucumbers (the end opposite the stem) contains enzymes that can cause the pickles to go soft.  Many people remove this end to prevent this; it really can help make for crisper pickles.  I'm lazy, so I cut both ends off instead figuring out which end is the flower end (plus they pickle faster this way).  This method works for both this (fermentation) as well as traditional (heat) pickling.

[HellaDelicious]

This is a great tip. Also adding in things with high tannings helps like the grape leaves. I have also found that adding chili peppers helps a bit too. I don't personally mind if the pickles are so crispy or a little softer.

[kissiltur]

that is a gloriously simple pickling method, but where does the lactic acid come from?

[HellaDelicious]

The salt helps to prevent other organisms from growing and encourages the growth of the lactobacilli bacteria. You can vary the amounts of salt or add whey instead, it is good to experiment yourself to see how you prefer the flavor.

A good book with tons of info on fermentation and lots of traditional recipes is Sandor Ellix Katz book Wild Fermentation if you are looking for in depth information I think this book is an excellent resource.

[SinAmos]

Quick question - how long can you store them after the initial 6 weeks?

[HellaDelicious]

You can store them for quite long periods in a cool place. I haven't ever stored them for longer than this since I can barely wait six weeks to eat them in the first place!

[thepelton]

I gotta try this.  I love dill pickles.

[SinAmos]

I love it.